Hasn't SATC always been self aware of its "shallow absurdity"? Perhaps not its target audience. But I've always felt the show and the characters acknowledge and often mock this while also exploring less shallow themes. Maybe I see this solely to allow myself to love the show. Which I do. I still rewatch old seasons on DVD when I have nothing else to watch while knitting.

AJ, I think Seinfeld's influence was worse -- it made it not only acceptable but cool to be cynical and downright mean on a continuous basis.

I use the train wreck analogy regarding SATC. It's horrific, but I couldn't look away, at least from the tv series, which, btw, is much easier to take in its TBS sex- and swear-free incarnations. I really never want to see Kim Cattrall, or any of them, having sex, ever again. There was something about its complete wrongness that made it compelling. I kept hoping for some redemption, some sense of normalcy, to reach these characters, but if we ever caught a glimpse of it, it was soon whisked away.

There is a sizable amount of the audience that takes this Diane Fossey-like approach: we have no desire to be like these women, and in fact, we don't know anyone like them, but it can be entertaining to observe them for a while. At least it was. I'm pretty sure the fun has all gone out of it by this point.

Originally, I didn't bother clicking the link on this post because the subject itself doesn't interest me. However, I AM SO GLAD I FINALLY DID (I'm such an obsessive link-clicker; rarely can I resist), because of this gem:

It has long been informally understand that graphic thrusting and pumping, so to speak, should be limited to two (2) thrusts and/or pumps per one (1) R-rated movie.

Not only did that sentence strike me as hilarious (and literally had me laughing aloud--though, alas, my ass is still with me), especially as written, but I did not know that formal rule/standard existed.

The Big Lie of that series--and its brilliance, in terms of wooing viewers--was that these were "independent" single women, who didn't need men.

In reality, it was a big fairy tale. I read something recently lauding how Carrie had rejected Aidan, and how it proved her independence. LOL. All it did was clear the way for her to marry the "Prince" [read: rich guy] in the end.

Joan, my feelings on the series are almost identical to yours.

I will admit that the clothes were a big reason why I kept coming back. And the Miranda character could actually be somewhat human, at times.